Cone adapter



Feb. 28, 1961 A. D. HARMON CONE ADAPTER Filed March 9, 1956 FlG.-l-

FlG.-2-

INVENTOR- ALBERT D. HARMON Wang 719M ATTORNEY CONE ADAPTER Albert D. Harmon, Pendleton, S.C., assignor to Deering Millikan Research Corporation, near Pendleton, c0nee County, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 9, H56, Ser. No. 570,489

4 Claims. (Cl. 242-130) This invention relates generally to package supports and more specifically to a unique adapter arrangement for supporting cone packages, particularly for supporting cone packages on a twisting or winding machine employing standard straight package spindles not normally capable of supporting cone packages.

It has been found in knitting elasticized nylon yarn that the yarn can be removed with a much more uniform tension from a cone type supply pack-age than from a straight one. However, existing twisting spindles, such as those employed in a standard Atwood B twister, on which at least one type of elasticized nylon is presently processed, fit only small straight bore bobbins, and therefore cone bobbins supported directly thereon would have to be excessively heavy and expensive. Thus, in order to get the yarn onto light, inexpensive paper cone packages, an extra process of winding is necessary, which obviously increases the handling of the yarn, with a t resultant increase in yarn damage as well as increase in yarn throwing cost.

it is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a means for suitably supporting paper or other conically hollow cones on straight spindle supports, and particularly twister spindles, in such a manner that the cone will be firmly and concentrically positioned on the spindle and can be easily donned and doffed.

Another object is to provide an adapter arrangement for spindles wherein cones of varying lengths may be facilely and firmly supported thereon and dotted therefrom, and particularly cones of longer length than the the support, as by compressive binding on the support.

Still a further object is to provide a cone supporting assembly particularly adapted for twisting apparatus, the supporting assembly being adapted to hold a cone carrier concentrically and firmly mounted thereon while positively preventing yarn from rubbing the rough tapered end of the cone.

Still other objects and many attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a view in partial diametral section of one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in partial section of the embodiment of Figure 1 illustrating manual doifing of the cone, and with the top adapter removed.

Figure 3 is an enlarged partially sectional view in orthographic projection of the top adapter of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, a conventional straight spindle having a rotatable spindle shaft or blade 12 and whorl 14 is illustrated as adapted to concentrically support a conically hollow tapered cone 10. The blade and whorl assembly may be rotatably supported in any conventional manner, as in'a bolster and base support, not shown, into which the lower end 12a of the blade 12 extends in accordance with conventional practice. The arrangement by which this adaptation is accomplished comprises a flared-endor base adapted 20 and a taperedend or top adapter 30, each separably mounted on the spindle assembly.

The base adapter 20 serves to position the lower or flared end portion of the cone 10 in radially secure and concentric position relative to rotatable spindle shaft 12. In the preferred example the base adapted 20 comprises a solid support member having an axial bore 22 therein complementary to the periphery of the blade or shaft 12 adjacent the upper end of the whorl 14. The lower end surface of the base adapter 20 has a di-' ametrally slotted recess 24, formed therein substantially complementary to the diametrally keyed upper end 16 of whorl 14, in order to permit member 20 to be snugly fit down onto and in positive driving relation with the whorl.

The lower radially peripheral surface 26 of base.

adapter 20 is formed into a frusto-conical shape having a taper substantially corresponding to the taper of the internal surface of the cone 10 to be supported. The

, peripheral surface 26 is preferably of suitable dimensions to permit the cone to fit snugly down thereover, While saill leaving ample room for applying a belt or other suitable drive (not shown) to the whorl '14.

In order to more easily guide the cone into position onto the snug-fitting lower peripheral surface 26, the; upper peripheral surface 27 of base adapted 20 is preferably chamfered or tapered at an increased slope relative to the axis, as illustrated. The base adapter 20 maybe secured to the spindle in any suitable manner, as may be desired, and in the preferred form such is accomplished through the medium of a radial set screw 28. v

The top adapter 30 comprises a tube 32, of suitable material such as steel, having a circular rounded-edged flange or disc cap 34 secured onto its upper end. The

. disc 34 maybe of any suitable material, and preferably of material suitable to being finished to a smooth periph: eral yarn engaging surface, as for example, laminated plastic, pressed fiber, steel, etc. In the instant example I the disc 34 is secured to'tube 32 by fitting'the disc over a shouldered reduced end portion 36 of the tube 32, and then rolling the end edge of the tube to form an end retaining shoulder 38. The disc 34 is thus securely held between shoulders 37 and 38. r I

The tube 32 has a central here which is slightly larger than the outside diameter of blade 12, so as to permit ease of application onto and removal from the blade 12, but with insufiicient clearance therebetween to permit any material lateral movement of the tube such as to cause vibration during, or otherwise interfere with, rotation of the spindle and cone as by permitting the cone to be shifted off center. The outer diameter of tube 32 is preferably substantially complementaryto or slight ly larger than the aperture 13' in the upper or tapered end of the pressed papercone 10 in order to provide a' snug fit and prevent vibration or wobbling of the-cone during operation. In active mounted position the disc 34 is seated in abutting relation against the tapered upper end of the cone 10, while the tube 32 fits snugly over blade 12 and within upper aperture 11 of cone 10, thus providing a firm and highly effective securing and centering extension for securely holding cone 10, yet permitting very easy removal of the cone. 7

The function of the apparatus will be substantially apparent from the foregoing description and the drawing. A cone is slipped down over the spindle blade 12 3 and onto base adapter 20, the top adapter 30 being removed during this operation. The top adapter 30 is then pushed down through the conventional aperture 11 in the top or tapered end of the cone and onto the upper end of the spindle blade 12. This securely aligns the upper end of the cone 1t) with'respe'c't to its base and the spindle blade 12.

Yarn is then wound onto the cone 10 in the conventiorial manner and as so wound it will be disposed between the extreme upper end of cone 10 and the lower portion of the cone engaged by base adapter 20. It will thusbe seen that the yarn wound onto the cone may cause a large amount of radially inward distortion of the bone 10, as by contraction of the yarn wound thereon, without the cone becoming locked onto the spindle.

In removing the cone 10 from the spindle, the top adapter 30 is first removed by grasping disc cap 34 and exerting a pulling action along the spindle axis, which in the instant example is vertical. Upon removal of the top adapter 30 the operator may then hook his finger into the aperture 11 and under lip 13 at the tapered end of bone 10 and thereby grasp the cone so as to rock it back and forth, and easily raise it from its wedged-on position on the base adapter 20 by pulling upwardly on lip 11 with his hooked finger. This is a very important feature of the invention, particularly in that it permits much easier removal of the cone 10 than would other wise be possible, and also does not require the operator to touch the yarn on the paclrage in order to easily re move the wound package. This feature is important with all yarns, and is particularly important in handling fine denier knitting yarns wound under light tension, since any rubbing of ones hand on the yarnpackage may result in rolling or slippage of the yarn on the package surface, with resultant poor delivery of the yarn in unwinding therefrom.

' It is a further important feature and advantage of this invention in "that it permits the employment of cones of varying lengths without requiring spindle modification, and it is particularly advantageous in adapting a spindle to firmly support and permit ease in removal of .cones of greater length than the spindle blade.

Obviously, many modifications within the scope and spirit of this invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is, therefore, to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the illustrative embodirne'ntclescribed and shown herein and in the accompanying drawings, but is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

claim:

' lgjln combination a spindle having a rotatable whorl and blade assembly, a frusto-conical base adapter removably secured to said assembly adjacent said whorl, a tube having aboretherein substantially complementary to said blade, a disc flange onlsaid tube, a hollow cone having a tapered hollow interior the larger end being adapted to fit in 'wedging relation over the frusto-conical base adapter and the smaller end having a radially'inwardly extending lip defining an axial opening and being adapted to fitin substantially snug complementary re- Iation with the periphery of said tube, said tube being adapted to be freely slidably removably mounted on the end of said blade, said disc flange being engageable in abutting relation with the tapered end of said cone, whereby said tube and disc flange assembly and said cone are adapted to be removably secured on said blade and whorl assembly in axially and radially secured re lation, said cone being in seated position on said base adapter longer than the effective length of said blade from said base adapter to its end, and said lip being removably disposed outwardly beyond the end of said blade.

2. In combination a spindle having a rotatable whorl and blade assembly, a frusto-conical base disposed adjacent and movable with said whorl, a tube having a bore therein substantially complementary to said blade, a disc flange on said tube, and a hollow cone having a tapered hollow interior the larger end thereof being adapted to fit in wedging relation over the frusto-conical base and the smaller end having aradially inwardly extending lip defining an axial opening and being adapted to fit in substantially snug removable complementary relation with the periphery of said tube, said tube being adapted thereby to 'be slidably removably mounted on the end of said blade, said disc flange being engageable in abutting relation with the tapered end of said cone, whereby said tube and disc flange assembly and said cone are adapted to be removably secured on said blade and whorl assembly in axially and radially secure relation, said cone in seated position on said base being longer than the effective length of said blade from said base to its end, whereby said lip is removably disposed outwardly beyond the end of said blade.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said base has atapered outer surface, the angle of taper of said outer surface being such that an imaginary conical extension thereof will have its apex end extend substantially beyond the end of said blade.

4. In combination a spindle having a rotatable whorl and blade assembly, a frusto-conical base adapter mounted on said assembly adjacent said whorl, a positive drive connection between said assembly and said base adapter, an adapter tube having a bore therein substantially complementary to said blade and fitting in snug relation over and extending beyond the free end of said blade, and a hollow cone having a tapered hollow interior the larger end thereof being adapted to fit in wedging relation over the frusto-conical base adapter and the smaller end having-a radially inwardly extending lip defining an axial opening and being adapted to fit in substantially snug complementary relation with the periphery of said tube, said cone in seated position on said.

base adapterbeing longer than the effective length of said blade from said base adapter to its end, said lip of said cone being removably disposed outwardly beyond the end of said blade and fitting in substantially snug complementary relation with the periphery of said tube.

I References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 777,000 Clark Dec. 6, 1904 1,522,036 Snyder Jan. 6, 1925 1,740,253 Lock .2. Dec. 17, 1929 1,898,131 Jordan Feb. 21, 1933 2,025,949 Kelly Dec. 31', 1935 2,186,133 Allan Jan, 9, 1940 2,273,373 Perry -2 Feb. 17, 1942 2,623,710 Pearson Dec. 30, 1952 2,762,575 Miller Sept. ll, 1956 

